Page 59 - AVN August 2017

FEATURE
been trying to think of different ways to outdo last March’s overwhelming success at West Hollywood’s
Rage Nightclub, and suddenly, we just said, ‘San Francisco!’ The city is gay friendly and gay-porn friendly,
and most of the big gay XXX-video companies are headquartered there. What could be better?”
Other things made the 2007 show a real standout. First off was the host: comedian Kathy Griffin, who
gave the event exposure on her Bravo Cable Network reality show, My Life on the D-List. And NakedSword
streamed its coverage; as NakedSword’s Tim Valenti said, “San Francisco has a rabid porn fan base and the
cultural propensity to host a world-class awards show that can succeed beyond limited nightlife venues.
We’ll treat the GayVNs like the Olympic Games and NakedSword will be the event’s NBC.”
Award-winning director Tony Dimarco shared his recollections of that show. “I would have to say my
most memorable GAYVN Awards hands down would have to be the 2007 GAYVN Awards, when Kathy
Griffin hosted. The show can be fun, but when you win, it can take it to a whole other level. That’s year we
won an unprecedented 14 GayVNs for the film I wrote and directed with Michael Lucas, La Dolce Vita [the
Lucas Entertainment title still holds the record for the most wins]. That award show put me on the map
and launched my career. There was great energy in the room that evening. It’s a night I will never forget.”
E
Earlier this year, AVN Media Network announced that
the GayVN Awards—celebrating the best in gay adult
entertainment—would be returning next January after a
seven-year hiatus. And while we have been in the process
of planning our own comeback, so have a few other big
names in the gay adult entertainment field. Earlier this
year, adult star Blake Riley—named Best Newcomer at the
2008 GayVN Awards —made a splash with his appearance
in Falcon’s Earthbound: Heaven to Hell 2. And in June French
performer François Sagat— GayVN Awards Performer of
the Year in 2007—returned after five years with a three-
part series for Men.com. Around the same time, Flava
Works announced that the studio had signed returning
star DeAngelo Jackson to a two-year contract—and that
the dominant top planned to make his debut as a bottom.
These three powerful performers talk with writers Brady
Jansen and Paul Stag about their past, present and future.
And speaking of the past, it seems like an opportune time
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MY MOST
to review the history of the GayVN Awards.
MEMORABLE GAYVN AWARDS HANDS
AVN Media Network has always recognized
achievement in the gay adult entertainment industry, but
DOWN WOULD HAVE TO BE 2007, WHEN KATHY GRIFFIN HOSTED. THE
up until 1998 the awards were distributed along with
the AVN Awards. That year AVN hosted its first annual
“Gay Adult Video Awards” on December 4, 1998, at the
Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, with
director/DJ Chi Chi LaRue hosting a big bash after the
ceremony.
SHOW CAN BE FUN, BUT WHEN YOU WIN, IT CAN TAKE IT TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL.
“I remember when they first told us they were going
to be having a separate awards for the gay portion of the
—TONY DIMARCO
industry,” LaRue recalled. “I thought to myself, well,
finally we’re going to get the respect we deserve and
people are going to finally pay attention—and we don’t
have to have big giant boobs for people to look at us …
LOL.”
For the next dozen years the separate awards show
flourished. In 2000, the GayVN Awards played to a
capacity crowd of over 900 attendees at Universal City’s
Hilton. Dubbed the Gay2K Awards, the show was hosted
by comedy writer/comedian Bruce Vilanch.
By 2003 the event had become more intimate, beginning
a four-year stint at Rage nightclub on Santa Monica
Boulevard in West Hollywood—with each year also seeing
Chi Chi LaRue filling the role of “Mztress of Ceremonies.”
Frequent award winner mr. Pam, director of production
for NakedSword.com, began going to the awards during
that period. “I live for gay porn awards ceremonies,”
mr. Pam said. “The GayVNs have always been OFF THE
HOOK, starting with my first GayVN Awards at Rage in
West Hollywood—lying on the red carpet filming myself
with Carlo Massi and Chris Wide—and then it grew and
grew and grew! Bigger and better.”
Channel 1’s Rob Novinger also remembers the days
in WeHo. “Can I share my worst memory? LOL. I guess
that would be the year we were the official GayVN
afterparty at the Abbey. Planned a super fun night and
due to circumstances anyone who knew the late David
Forest would not be shocked by, we banned [Forest] from
attendance. Which of course made him want to come even
more. Eventually we let him in, god or satan love him—
one of the two! Then the fire marshal told the bouncers
to stop letting people in, which burned up Hot House’s
Steven Scarborough, who told them he was ‘porn royalty.’
He also got in—eventually.”
For 2007, AVN switched things up, moving the GayVN
Awards Show to San Francisco, opening up the ceremony
to the public and holding it at the iconic Castro Theater.
At the time, GayVN editor Doug Lawrence said, “We’d
GAYVN AWARDS
Director Steve Cruz recalled his first show. “I rubbed elbows (literally) backstage with Kathy Griffin at
the awards of 2007,” Cruz said. “It was a big night for me. I was brand-new to the biz and so nervous. She
made me feel at ease, like it was the most fun thing in the world. What a great lady!”
Mainstream hosts remained at the helm of the remaining GayVN Awards celebrations, which were also
held in San Francisco. The 2008 awards featured prominent drag queen Lady Bunny with Sirius radio
personalities Derek Hartley and Romaine Patterson, while the 2009 gala featured a triple header with
comedian Margaret Cho, supermodel Janice Dickinson and Ugly Betty star Alec Mapa. And then Mapa
returned in 2010 for the final GayVNs, held at the Castro Theater during the Folsom Street Fair.
Recalling that show, mr. Pam said, “I loved the Castro Theatre with Alec Mapa hosting, Michael Lucas
storming the stage about Brent Corrigan, Wilfred Knight as crucified Jesus, my date Rafael Alencar
shirtless with stripper-inspired (lack of) tuxedo ... and stealing the curtain because someone stole my mink
shawl! I can’t wait for the GAYVN Awards to return—counting the days. Let’s rock this!
For the 2018 comeback, the GayVN Awards Show will take place in a new city—Las Vegas—as part
of GayVN@Internext, the trade show within a trade show at Internext Expo, taking place January 20-23.
“We want to make sure the GayVN Awards come back in a big way, so we have more than 25 categories
honoring performers, movies, scenes and more,” said Tony Rios, CEO of AVN Media Network.
Content released between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017, will be eligible for consideration for the
2018 GayVN Awards.
The GayVN Awards categories are as follows:
Best Actor
Best Duo Sex Scene
Best All-Sex Movie
Best Marketing - Company Image
Best Director - Feature
Best Newcomer
Best Director - Non-Feature
Best Feature
Best Threeway Sex Scene
Best Supporting Actor
Best Group Sex Scene
Performer of the Year
Best Fetish Scene
Best Twink Scene
Best Bear Scene
Best Ethnic Scene
In addition, for the second time in its history, the GayVNs will include fan-voted categories:
Favorite Porn Star Website
Favorite Membership Site
Favorite Niche Site
Favorite Cam Guy
Favorite Cock
Favorite Butt
Favorite Twink
Favorite Bear
Favorite Daddy
Favorite Body
Social Media Star
Favorite Performer
Favorite Newcomer
Favorite Gay Adult Blog
The pre-nomination period will begin in September. Keep up to date on the show by visiting
GayVNAwards.com.
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